A menstrual cup can be a great, more environmentally friendly alternative to tampons and pads, but it does come with certain drawbacks. It can be a huge mess to change, women occasionally have problems with insertion and removal, and it can create difficulties if you decided to leave it in during intercourse.
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However, if you're intent on doing it while your cup is in place, there are particular guidelines you should follow for your own comfort and safety. I got the lowdown on the issue from Vili Petrova, creator of the LENA Menstrual Cup.
"While it is easy to forget you are on your period while wearing a menstrual cup, it is important to remember that reusable menstrual cups are not a contraceptive device and should never be worn during intercourse. Disposable menstrual cups can be worn during sex as they are positioned directly below the cervix, are made of soft material, and are intended for a single use. Reusable menstrual cups are made from sturdier, long-lasting silicone and are designed to sit lower in the vaginal canal, away from the cervix, making them unsafe for use during sexual intercourse," Petrova said.
Makes sense, right? Since a Soft Cup is designed to be used once, it's made of more pliable material, and can go all the way up behind your cervix. Sure, the insertion process is trickier, but the end result is period sex with no mess, so for many women, it's worth it.
More: Everything you want to know about menstrual cups
Thankful, since we live in a world where we have anonymous online public forums, ladies who've embarked on menstrual cup sex adventures are talking about it. Based on their reported experiences, it seems like sex on the menstrual cup (disposable only) is worth a shot.
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OK, so here's what we've learned from these intrepid explorers.
- Sex with a menstrual cup definitely cuts the mess.
- It can be hard to retrieve said cup afterwards, but you probably shouldn't leave it up there.
- Some men will be able to feel it on occasion, but most don't seem to mind it.
- If it gets pushed too far in, pushing down like you're pooping will help move it down.
- While it appears possible to have sex with a reusable menstrual cup, it is not recommended by any of the manufacturers.
Will I be trying this period sex method anytime soon? Probably not, but that's more to do with my issue of not being able to remember there's a foreign object floating around inside me. If you're going to give it a whirl, use disposable cups and pee afterwards, because nobody likes getting a UTI.
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